Fish out of Water
by Blahsadfeguie
Summary: A quirky, incompetent ten-year-old has been abandoned in the forest by his parents, alone save for a Buizel given to him by his merciful mother. He now embarks on a quest to redeem himself in his parents' eyes and become an experienced Pokemon trainer.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey. Remember me? Probably not. Here's something I've been working on for a while, and it's been going better than I expected it would, so I decided what the hey, let's upload to Fanfiction. Enjoy.**

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><p>CHAPTER 1: Into The Selectively Unknowable<p>

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><p><em>Two silhouettes, standing alone in the forest at night, overlooks a smaller figure sprawled out on the ground.<em>

_"Are you sure you can just leave him like this?"_

_"He'll be fine. He always ends up fine!"_

_"This can't be the only way! I don't want to give him up!"_

_"He's nothing but a major headache. I've given him enough chances, but he fails us every single time."_

_"But out here? In the wilderness...?"_

_"He'll be a burden to anybody. We can't give him to someone else."_

_"..."_

_"Now let's get out of here before he wakes up."_

_One of the two figures disappears. The other lingers._

_"I can't leave you here alone..."_

_The remaining figure sets upon the lying figure a small round object, then follows the first out of the forest..._

The sun rose, as it always does, greeting the ten-year-old kid that slept underneath it. The kid, sunshine hitting his face, slowly stirred. He rose, yawning and stretching his limbs. He reached beside him for his orange cap, which he always wore over his rather unkempt shoulder-length hair. The hair was dyed with streaks of orange and purple, a sign that no ten-year-old should be in charge of their own hairstyle. As tired as he was the previous night, he had chosen to sleep in his day clothes: an orange vest and matching black undershirt and pants.

This boy's name was Robert Sladfigy; but he much preferred plain old Bob.

When Bob finally opened his sleep-heavy eyes, he saw something that startled him - an excess amount of green, rather than the orangish wallpaper adorning the walls of his room. He blinked a few times. "What... am I still dreaming?" he wondered aloud, even though there was nobody around to hear.

He got to his feet, and as he did so, there was a soft plop as a small object fell off of his lap and onto the grass. He bent over to pick it up, and identified it as a Pokeball.

He fired up his mental cylinders, trying to remember. His tenth birthday had come recently, but he didn't want to get a Pokemon and travel like other kids his age, despite how eager his parents seemed to have him out of the house. He just wanted to stay home, and maybe "pursue a career in architecture", which was his way of saying he just wanted to watch TV and play games all day. Nobody bought it though. "So what am I doing here anyway...?" he asked himself. To him, the possibility of being carried out here by his own parents was absolutely absurd.

Bob was still quick to jump to conclusions, though. "Oh man... I must've been kidnapped," he deduced. "But halfway through they decided I wasn't worth it and dropped me here. This Pokeball must've fallen out of one of the snatchers' pockets or something. Well... that'll teach you! Let's see what the finder gets to keep..."

He tossed the Pokeball into the air. It opened, and in a flash of red light, a Buizel appeared on the ground in front of him, which stretched its limbs somewhat gratefully. "Buizel..." it sighed with a hint of annoyance, after examining Bob.

Bob looked down at the sea weasel Pokemon that he now possessed, and a smile slowly crept across his face. "Ha!" Bob shouted. "One of my favorite Pokemon, too. This is my lucky day!" He bent over again, getting to eye level with his new companion. "Hi! What's your name? Whoops, that doesn't matter because you're mine now!"

The Buizel shook his head, muttering something under his breath. Not that Bob would be able to understand him. The Pokemon's reaction made Bob scratch his head. "Huh, I'm getting the weirdest feeling of Deja Vu..."

Suddenly, it dawned on him. This Buizel was no kidnapper's Pokemon. He had actually belonged to his mother! "Oh right, I remember now..." he said aloud. "You're that one Buizel that my mom caught a few years ago... but what was your name again...?"

"Bui," droned the unamused Buizel.

"No, no, that wasn't it..." Bob replied, his hand on his chin as he tried to remember. "Ah, right!" he yelled, "Your name is Franz!"

The Buizel allegedly known as Franz's eyes closed and tightened, performing a gesture that remarkably resembled a facepalm. That wasn't it, that wasn't even close. But there was no way he could convey the correct name, so he nodded, surrendering. He'd have to deal with that name from now on.

"Hmm... so..." thought Bob, pacing back and forth, his head bowed, "come to think of it, kidnapping both me and Franz sounds silly... so what exactly happened?" Using all of his vast reserves of brainpower, which by everyone else's standards would be the equivalent of an ill self-doubting gerbil on a rusty exercise wheel, he tried to piece together how he ended up in the middle of a forest. But before he could come up with yet another conclusion, his pacing went off-track and he crashed into a tree. Franz winced.

As Bob hit the ground, another object landed next to him. Bob weakly pivoted his head. It was a Burmy, squirming and fidgeting frantically trying to get its cloak of leaves back together and get the heck away from that scary-looking human. Bob's eyes widened, and his grin followed suit with childlike wonder. He sprang to his feet again and pointed out the Bug-type.

"Yes! That's it!" he cried excitedly. "Our first battle! Come on Franz, let's soak this sucker!" The volume of Bob's words made the Burmy jump, scattering a few of the leaves again. The Pokemon was looking a little pale. Franz looked down at the Burmy curiously. "Well what are you waiting for?" shouted Bob. "Do the watery thing! The one where you win!"

The Burmy shifted his attention to the Buizel now, who looked significantly less intimidating but admittedly just as dangerous as the human was. "Burmy! Burmy!" pleaded the shaking Bug-type to the only other creature nearby who could understand it. Franz just shook his head. "Buizel," he replied. "Buizel bui." Without further warning, Franz opened his mouth as a distinct watery ball began to form in the back of his throat, which let loose all at once at the haphazard opponent. Burmy never stood a chance against the torrent of water that engulfed it, and when the Water Gun calmed down, the bagworm was nowhere to be seen, completely blown away by the Buizel's force.

Bob, the entire time, was jumping up and down repeatedly. "Yeah! Yeah!" he chimed enthusiastically. "That was one fluid battle! We are natural-born champions!"

Franz turned and stared at Bob. That was no battle, that was cleaning the gutter. This was like one of those fishing tales where the fisherman always adds a yard or two to the size of the one that got away. Bob couldn't really be blamed; this may have been his first rodeo, but it certainly wasn't Franz's! Nevertheless, Franz managed an awkward, half-hearted smile.

Bob scratched his head. He had calmed down already, as he continued his train of thought before it had crashed horrendously... how did he end up in this forest? Where were his parents? And why did he have his mom's Buizel? "Say..." began Bob, "You wouldn't happen to know where we are or what we're doing here... would you? Because if you did, that would be super."

It would indeed have been super, as Franz knew a lot more than Bob did about the situation... but Bob seemed to forget about the communication connondrum between the two species. "Buiiiiiizel," he sighed, knowing the meaning would be lost in the medium.

"Yeah... I know you're a Buizel," replied Bob, a little frustrated, "I asked where we are."

"Buizel," Franz replied, humoring him.

"I'm with a Buizel, I got that already," said Bob, his tone becoming more and more tense. "Are we anywhere near a town, or..."

Franz gave up trying to speak and stuck out his arm to the northwest; the vague direction of the second nearest town to where they stood. He dared not direct him to the nearest one for reasons that Bob didn't and could not understand at this time.

Bob twisted his head around at where his Buizel pointed him. All he could see were trees and plantlife, and a few sparse Pokemon skittering about. "But that's just more forest..." whined Bob, a bit too literal to imagine more than 50 feet beyond himself.

Franz facepalmed again, and began to walk in the direction he indicated, beckoning Bob to follow.

"Uh... where are you going?" said Bob, quite confused, "Candyland isn't over there, just trees made of inedible wood." He followed the orange Pokemon, mostly making sure that nothing happened to it... a Pokemon without a trainer is like dental floss without the box thingy that it comes in! As a result, Bob was being led to civilization whether he knew it or not.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: The Bumbling Trainer's Motivation

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><p>As Bob followed Franz along the express route through the forest to the wonderous promised land of "I-forget-already", he began to realize just what this Buizel was capable of. As they passed, many Pokemon gave them aggressive looks, but Franz managed to intimidate the other Pokemon with just a return glance. Franz occasionally would check back at Bob to make sure he didn't have a brain lapse and wander off, and when he did, Bob saw it in his eyes. This was a hardened warrior, already trained beyond mere competence, and although they saw each other occasionally in the past, Bob had no idea that he was actually receiving battle experience. On a scale of 1-100, 100 being the absolute maximum potential a Pokemon could reach, Bob estimated Franz at around 30 or so. In fact, the Pokemon probably could have evolved by now into something greater still. He wondered what was keeping the Buizel from becoming a Floatzel...<p>

And then he saw a pretty flower. And he picked said flower and gave it a deep whiff. So enchanting. He could probably live in the forest, although Franz would actively have to keep him from getting eaten by an Oddish or something.

But before Bob could contemplate living off the land any further, their feet reached a path of fine gravel, certainly not natural. Bob wrenched his eyes from his colorful flower to see something even more animated - a thriving city. Franz flashed his superfluous owner a half-hearted grin, as if to say "We're here, just don't break anything."

Naturally, Bob saw this more as an invitation than a restriction. He made a beeline for the nearest restaurant, giving little more regard to his companion in the process. Begrudgingly, Franz followed.

An hour of bountiful breakfast for the both of them later, Bob wasn't so quick to exit the building. His stomach was full to theoretical bursting, and Franz had had a sizable amount too. Somehow, Bob found himself with the funding to pay for a giant meal like that; there was at least 3000 Pokedollars in his pocket, but he didn't care, and neither did Franz. They did spend about half of it, though. Bob made a bumblebeeline for the nearest bench, upon which he sat gratefully.

Finally relaxed, Bob was able to properly gauge his situation for the first time. Bob had no explanation for why he was suddenly in the forest when he distinctly remembered falling asleep in his bed. But then... he remembered something else. His parents weren't happy with him that night...

_"You've broken the rules for the last time, boy!"_

_"But..."_

_"No! I'm tired of your buts and your excuses. From this point on, you are your own problem!"_

And that's when he was sent to bed. Not another word was spoken, and Bob could not comprehend what his father meant by his words. But now, he knew...

Bob's satisfied grin slowly drooped into a disdainful frown. Bob slumped over, despite the pressure in his stomach. He had been abandoned, forgotten. Dropped in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but a few dollars to his name and a responsibility forcefully shoved into his hands. He had taken his parents' care for granted. A cold, bewildered tear streaked down Bob's cheek, closely following an unrestrained sniffle. Was this what it felt like to be lonely?

Bob felt something on his shoulder. He turned his head, and was met with the sympathetic eyes of his new companion. Franz. He was not alone. This Buizel was more than just a friendly face to him. He was a familiar one as well. This Buizel WAS a part of the family, after all.

Bob wiped the tear from his eye, returning a hopeful smile to Franz. "Thank you, Franz..." he uttered, slightly broken, but piecing himself together. "Thank you... mom..."

He stood from the bench, not caring about the soreness from his overstuffed gut. Behind narrowed, tear-filled eyes, his goal was firmly rooted in his mind. He would start on a journey throughout the region, gaining respect and prowess the only way he could - by training a team of Pokemon, earning Gym Badges, and taking on the Elite Four. Only when he reached the status of champion could he return to his father and prove that he could fare for himself, and that he was worth more than the man appraised his son to be.

And then he collapsed on the bench again, weighed down by the reckless breakfast that he had ingested minutes prior. Franz barely dove out of the way of the heavyweight's sudden girth.

Next thing Bob knew, he was being prodded by a wet and cold object. He sprung to life, pressing himself against the back of the bench as far as he physically could from the slimy thing. As his eyes came into focus, he found himself staring face-to-face with a Gastly, whose tongue had just retracted. The Ghost-type cackled, and Franz was stifling a chuckle of his own. Bob shakily wiped his cheek with his sleeve.

"Hey man..." sputtered Bob, "how'd you like it if I licked YOU just for laughs?" He looked as though he were about to stick out his tongue and do just that, until he caught a glimpse of the boy standing behind the Gastly.

"Terribly sorry," laughed the Gastly's alleged trainer, "my Gastly has a habit of waking up sleeping strangers in the most awkward way possible." He adjusted his glasses habitually.

Bob looked at the sky. The sun was slightly lower, more so than its peak and to the west. Had he really fallen asleep? That must've been quite a breakfast... He looked back at the kid. The other trainer did not seem that much older than Bob, if at all. He was a little on the short side, with hair significantly less lengthy than Bob's, and nowhere near as colorful. He did respect the glasses, though, but not as much as if they were shades. He wore a dark purple jacket and black jeans, which were neat colors but the style was a little plain. Needless to say, the kid's fashion sense did not impress Bob.

He gave the youngster a narrow glare. "Well... have you considered a leash?" suggested Bob, "Maybe one of those electric collars?"

"Uh... he's kind of a ghost," refuted the boy, slightly uncomfortable from Bob's attitude. He nervously repositioned his glasses.

"Hm," Bob grunted. He looked around. "At least tell me where I am."

"You're in Hearthome City, the very heart of Sinnoh itself," the preteen responded matter-of-factly. He stared at Bob's interesting choice of hairstyle. "...you don't get out much, do you?"

"Oh, not usually," Bob replied casually. "Not unless my parents kick me out without so much as a heads up." He spoke with contempt especially at the word 'parents', folding his arms.

"Oh... That's no good..." He pushed his glasses again, looking away for a moment. "Hey, uh... if you want, I can help you get by for a while. You strike me as rather... fresh to the world of Pokemon. My name's Nikolas. But you can call me Nick." He held onto his specs with one hand as he held out the other to shake.

Bob's gaze wandered off to their two Pokemon, who were busy acquainting themselves as well. They seemed to be getting along. Bob hesitantly accepted the handshake. "Bob."

"Pleased to meet you, Bob," said Nick with a grin. "What, uh... what were you planning on doing first?"

"Well, I can already cross eating and sleeping off of the list for today," said Bob, wishing he had an actual clipboard so he could keep track of all these statistics and activities. "Um, I could always go quest for badges... that's something 10-year-old kids traveling without supervision do, right? Hey, doesn't Hearthome City have a gym?"

Nick was silent for a few moments, then let out a loud laugh. "You want to take on this gym first? Fantina would rip you to shreds! ...gracefully."

Bob didn't quite like the thought of being ripped to shreds, gracefully or otherwise. But then he remembered he had Franz. "But with my trusty sidekick, I am certain to achieve victory!" Franz, barely aware that he had just been mentioned, gave Bob a weird look.

"Your ONE sidekick?" Nick emphasized. "Most trainers come into their first Gym Battle with at least two Pokemon. And most of them start off in Oreburgh City. Hearthome is where a trainer would go somewhere in the middle."

"Oh? And how would you know so much about the circuit already?" Bob scoffed. He glanced at Nick's Gastly. "This doesn't look like a hardened battle Pokemon either."

"Well, that's because I am actually one of Fantina's junior trainers!" boasted Nick. "If a trainer can't beat me, they'll have no chance against Fantina herself. I'm like a qualifier exam."

"In that case," challenged Bob, standing upright, "why don't you try examining me and Franz here? You may be surprised..."

Nick chuckled again. "Your Buizel looks tough, but a Pokemon is only as strong as his trainer. But if you insist... follow me. I know a place in the town square perfect for battling."

Bob smirked. _It's like taking candy from a kid your own age..._


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3: How to Pokemon

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><p>The two humans and their partners approached the center of the city of Hearthome, each one stoked about the upcoming feud in their own way. Nick, the knowledgable junior trainer, led the way, followed by his Gastly, who looked eager to bust some heads... or just lick them. Bob was next, already planning out his taunts and one-liners, and a half-enthused Franz taking up the rear, and taking his sweet time getting there. Some of the pedestrians who weren't in a hurry saw the battlers heading for the usual score-settling zone, and a crowd began to form to watch the well-known trainer take on a stranger from another place... maybe even another planet with that hair.<p>

"Come on Franz," beckoned Bob, "we gotta show the world what we - Bob and Franz, the Tenacious Tough-and-Tumblers - are made of!" Franz rolled his eyes, and the crowd didn't know quite what to make of this kid. He sure had the energy for battling, but as for his Buizel... he just looked like he wanted to get this over with and shut the oddly-styled human up.

Nick and his Gastly, on the other hand, were much more in-tune. This was a rodeo they have ridden before, against countless other wanderers. It was business as usual for the Ghost-type specialists.

"Ok, this is a standard Pokemon battle, one on one," Nick reminded Bob. "First Pokemon to faint is the loser."

"I know how the game works, dang it!" Bob cried impatiently. "Both of our little dudes shoot at each other until one of them falls down. I've seen it a million times on TV." Some stifled laughter could be heard from the crowd.

"Gaaaaastly," the Ghost Pokemon taunted at Franz.

"Bui," affirmed his opponent, definitely ready but questionably willing.

"Alright..." Nick realigned his glasses as he prepared to give his first command. "Let's go! Gastly, use Lick!"

Gastly soared at the Buizel, sticking out its tongue in preparation. Franz hopped back, out of range, and quickly blasted a Water Gun at the ghost in retaliation. The Gastly reeled from the shot, clearly not expecting such a fast reaction.

Bob raised an eyebrow. "What the... Hey! You're supposed to wait for my order..."

Franz glared at Bob in a way that said "you do not own me" and resumed focus on the battle.

"Now, Franz! Use Aqua... um, that one cool missile move that the guy's Floatzel did on that one episode of Melee Masters!"

"Bui?" replied Franz in a dull tone, as if sarcastically droning "Really?" Deciding to humor his so-called trainer, he prepared an Aqua Jet and charged at the Gastly.

Nick just shook his head "Gastly... just dodge to the side and use a Confuse Ray before he touches down."

Gastly nimbly darted out of harm's way, and Franz was left soaring without a target. By the time Franz turned around, Gastly had shone a sinister light at the Buizel, causing him to lose track of his own sight and crash head-first into the ground.

Bob flinched at his own Pokemon taking self-inflicted damage. "Come on... get up! Shake it off!" Franz uprooted himself, but stumbled severely. He squinted. How many Gastly were he fighting again? Three? "Do that move again! Once more, with feeling!" Franz made out his trainer's voice, and reluctantly began to charge up another Aqua Jet.

"Sucker Punch!" came Nick's voice suddenly. Gastly materialized directly in front of the Buizel and nothing could be done about the large fist made of pure, solid ectoplasm emerging from the shadows and socking him right in the snout. The watery aura dispersed immediately, and Franz flopped over onto his back, heavily dazed.

"Get... up... get... up..." seethed Bob, practically foaming at the mouth. Franz rolled over onto his feet and stood up, shaking himself off. His vision returned to him, and he was back in the game. A little frustrated, he acted on his own again and leaped into the air, twisting his tails around and launching an array of stars at the foe. The Gastly simply cackled as they phased right through his body.

Nick laughed along with his Pokemon. "How ridiculous. Doesn't your Buizel know that-"

"Yeah yeah," interrupted a very aggravated Bob, "The starry thing doesn't work on ghosts because it's a normal type. Come on Franz, it's just common sense!"

Franz let out an audible growl directed at his trainer. "Buizel..."

"Now, Gastly," cried Nick, "use Night Shade!"

The Gastly's eyes glowed purple, and everything around Franz began to grow dark.

"Don't fall for it, man!" Bob exclaimed. "Break out of there with a, um..." Bob finally remembered the perfect move to use against a stubborn Ghost-type such as this one. It took even longer for the name to come to him. "...Pursuit!"

But it was too late. When the darkness faded, Franz's stance was breaking down. He wobbled back and forth on his feet. The ghost's attacks were really starting to take a toll on the Water-type. But Bob's suggestion did not go unheard. Franz readied himself, and his eyes grew dark. The Pokemon's rage was definitely showing. Bob's nagging, Nick's smugness, and his Gastly's abrasiveness were all getting on Franz's nerves at once. He wasn't about to fool around any longer.

"Sucker Punch, again!" Nick punctuated quickly, knowing that the battle would be over in another hit or two. Most of the crowd was thinking the same thing.

Franz dashed forth immediately, as the Gastly disappeared to get into position. But something sparked in Franz at that precise moment, for when the Gastly reappeared and threw another punch, Franz leaped into the air, off to the side and just out of its way. Now there was nothing in between the enraged Buizel and his source of hatred.

WHAM. Nobody could have expected that noise to have come from a ghost getting rammed, but Franz was right on the money, slamming directly into the one plane that the Gastly held all of its physical matter in. "Gaaaas..." murmured the Gastly as it fell to the ground, out-cold.

Many jaws were dropped at the showcase of the Buizel's skill and power. Especially Bob and Nick's. Franz stood in front of his downed foe, panting. He looked up at Bob, with nearly the same look that he gave the Gastly moments earlier, and Bob took an instinctive step back, sweat starting to form on his forehead. This is the part where Bob would proudly shout the line he had rehearsed since he was 5, saved for when he had won his first battle... but it would be entirely inappropriate and probably not beneficial to his health.

"..."

A grand silence hung over the crowd and the battlers; the only sound that could be heard was that of the Buizel's heavy breathing. Nick held out his Pokeball, and Gastly soon faded into dim red energy and returned to its trainer. Bob followed suit, in order to prevent Franz from potentially biting his face off. Spectacular as that would be, it would also be very painful. Hopefully, a bit of time inside his Pokeball would help Franz cool off.

"You got lucky with that one..." Nick uttered. "Your Buizel obviously has way more battle experience than you do, but that's usually not enough. It's the synchronization of trainer and Pokemon that really gives you an edge in battle. You've both still got a lot to learn..." He turned around as the crowd started to disperse, heading back for the Hearthome Gym.

"Wait a minute!" Bob snapped unstably. "If you're so smart... then what should I do first?"

"I'd recommend thinking a bit more about your future team," Nick said without turning his head. "Catch a few more Pokemon, have some more practice, spend some time together. When you're both confident... maybe then you can take on a gym."

Bob looked down at his Pokeball. He certainly couldn't say that he learned nothing from his battle with Nick... not all victories are worth celebrating.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4: Harmony Unhearing

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><p>After a quick visit to the Pokemon center, Franz was feeling fresh as a daisy. Physically, anyway. Bob still wasn't confident enough to let him out of his Pokeball just yet.<p>

As he headed to the city limits, a new plan formulated in Bob's mind. He would take Nick's advice, find a few Pokemon and get accustomed to training and to his partner (soon to be plural). Easy stuff. The first part of the trainer's journey couldn't be that hard, just like the first few levels of a video game.

Bob wandered out into the thick wilderness, repeating mentally to himself that he had it easy to start. And before too long, he literally bumped into his first wild encounter.

It was a female Bidoof, one of the most common Pokemon of the region. It didn't see Bob coming, and neither did he. Bob, keeping his eyes straight ahead of him rather than on the ground where the wild Pokemon were more likely to be, practically tripped over the Bidoof. The startled beaver Pokemon jumped, and scuttled off behind a tree, watching the human closely.

Bob righted himself and looked ahead at the cowering Bidoof. Being a wild Pokemon, Bob wasn't surprised that she hadn't nearly as much discipline as Franz showed. That was no problem, though. Bob could surely make a warrior out of any Pokemon!

He whipped out his only Pokeball, hesitating only for a split second before sending out his returning "champion". Thankfully, the Buizel didn't appear angry, just slightly annoyed. Franz gave a slight scowl at his trainer before turning to face the Bidoof.

The Bidoof, realizing that she was going to have to defend herself, stepped out from behind the tree and tried her best to appear threatening. Franz had other concerns than to be intimidated by a weak wild Pokemon.

"Alright..." began Bob, getting back into the zone. "Franz, let's bag our first Bidoof! Start out with an Aqua Jet!" He took a moment to congratulate himself for actually remembering what the move was called.

Franz looked back at Bob and gave a slight nod; he was willing to give Bob a try just as much as vice versa. He blasted forward with the precision of a missile, coated in and leaving a trail of water.

The Bidoof froze up upon being faced with such established power, and the attack hit without a hitch. The Bidoof was sent flying backwards, and sprawled out on the ground. However, weak as she was, the Bidoof was a hardy creature, and she was back on all fours in no time. She rushed at Franz with a Tackle attack.

Bob watched the Bidoof cautiously. Franz didn't have to wait for his trainer's word to get out of the way - to him, it was a slow and boring maneuver, and easily dodged.

"Great! Now wear it out with a Water Gun!" Bob cheered, seeing that this battle, and Bidoof, was surely his.

Franz complied, hosing the Bidoof down with a powerful stream of water. This left her with little remaining strength, and she could barely stand. The Buizel looked back at his trainer with a look that said "Now."

Bob wasn't quite sure what to make of his Pokemon's glare, though. He had never caught a Pokemon before, after all. He simply stared back bemusedly, before realizing that the Bidoof wasn't about to counterattack and now would be the perfect time to throw a Pokeball.

"...R-right, yes!" stuttered Bob as he fumbled through his pockets for a spare Pokeball to throw. However, he quickly realized that he had nothing of the sort on his person. He had forgotten to buy Pokeballs! "...Uh," grunted Bob, "Franz, wait right here, don't let it get away... I'll be riiight back." Bob then made a break for Hearthome City, leaving the two Pokemon alone in the wilderness.

Franz facepalmed as he watched his embarrassed trainer trot away. He really couldn't have expected any different, and yet Bob's goof-ups still tested the Buizel's patience. He looked back at the injured Bidoof, who watched the scene with bewilderment.

_"Can you believe this guy?" _scoffed Buizel in his own tongue to the Bidoof. _"I really don't know if I should let him capture you. Being stuck with him so far has proven rather... torturous."_

The Bidoof didn't know what to say in response, but she certainly wasn't going to try and escape while Franz was still around.

Franz continued to stare off in the direction that Bob disappeared to. _"Look, kid,"_ he continued, _"If you want to run away, I'm not going to stop you. You look like you have a life to attend to, and I'd rather not let HIM take it all away. You're probably not ready for that."_

The Bidoof looked down, and then behind her into the trees. _"Th... thank you." _And with that, she darted off, never to be seen again.

Franz sighed. Many Pokemon had to go through this; the act of being captured in a small circular prison, forced to do the bidding of some... _human_. Forced away from their family and their friends, all because they picked the wrong day for a stroll. Some of the Pokemon grew to tolerate and maybe even like their new homes and their new lives, even though they would never get to see their loved ones again, but not every human was perfect. And Bob... he wasn't even on the charts. The rest of his family was somewhat tolerable, but not this boy.

But... it was out of his hands now. It had been out of his hands ever since Bob's mother had met him several years back, on what the humans called Route 212... the woman found him _oh so adorable_ that she just _had_ to have him. And before he knew it, he was battered and bruised, and a small round object was hurtling toward him. His life flashed before his eyes. He had no idea what would become of him, but one thing was for certain - his family would have to go on without him.

Heavy footsteps and panting could be heard from behind him. Franz turned around to see Bob with his backpack in one hand and an empty Pokeball in the other, sweating profusely.

Bob stopped in front of Franz, leaning over his knees and taking a moment to catch his breath. "Ok..." gasped Bob, "Bidoof... prepare... to be... captured...!" He raised himself, holding out the empty Pokeball triumphantly, but as he looked at the spot he had last seen the Bidoof, he only saw grass. He looked back down at his Buizel, who was laying against a rock, glaring defiantly at his trainer.

"Y-...wh-...huh," was all Bob could manage to say. He keeled over, planting his rump on the ground and dropping his things. "Did that Bidoof get the slip on you?" Bob asked. "Wow, Pokemon really are nothing without their trainers..." Franz rolled his eyes, but Bob didn't catch the gesture. "Ok, from now on we are a pair. United we stand, divided we fall!" Bob reached over to give Franz a lift as he stood back up, and then a hug, much to the Pokemon's chagrin.

Franz wrestled himself free of the human's grip and retaliated with a quick Water Gun right to Bob's face. Bob sputtered a bit, wiping cold liquid out of his eyes and nose. After clearing his face, he stared down at the Buizel with a dumbfounded expression. "Thanks, that really hit the spot!" he finally exclaimed, feeling much better. Franz facepalmed for the umpteenth time.

"All right!" yelled Bob to the sky with a look of determination. "Now that I am hydrated and FULLY STOCKED," he emphasized as he pulled out an empty Pokeball, "our quest can continue for REAL!"

"Buizel..." muttered Franz, looking downward disdainfully. His trainer didn't quite pick up on his Pokemon's lack of enthusiasm. Regardless, he skipped off deeper into the forest.

Bob continued deeper into the woods, hunting for any sign of wild Pokemon. However, no matter where they went, although they had definitely felt the life of the forest breathing all around them, there was not a creature to be spotted. "Huh... it's like they knew I was coming for them," remarked Bob. Franz smirked victoriously. The Bidoof must have warned the locals that a trainer was on the loose. Bob could very well turn up empty-handed today.

Just as Bob was getting second thoughts, he heard a splashing noise up ahead. This alerted both him and the Buizel. "Aha!" whispered Bob. "Sounds like a Pokemon is nearby... Prepare a Pursuit, Franz, and step quietly now..." He began to tiptoe slowly in the direction of the noises. Franz reluctantly followed him.

As the duo rounded a tree, carefully poking their heads around it, a small brook was visible. And, sure enough, a Budew was playing in the water. Franz gulped. This Pokemon looked incredibly young, possibly still a toddler. Franz couldn't bear to imagine what it must be like to spend one's formative years in human custody, naive to the workings of the world...

...and from the grin on Bob's face, it looked like he was about to make that happen.

"Alright, slowly now," whispered Bob barely audible enough for Franz to hear. He crept out of the trees, masking his footsteps behind the splashing noises. If there was anything Bob could do right, it was being sneaky. He had a knack for sneaking out of the house when his parents grounded him.

The sound of Franz's footsteps bothered Bob, however. They were haphazard, and completely out of synch. What was he trying to do, give away their position?

Bob sought to get the first attack on the Budew as soon as possible. Thankfully, Franz's recklessness hadn't set off any alarms or anything yet, but he didn't want to take any chances. "Ok... and... pursuit!"

Franz clenched his teeth. He had no choice but to obey, or else his real intentions would make themselves known... he stepped back, assuming a three-point stance, and rushed forward. He closed his eyes, not wanting to bear witness to the slaughter that would ensue.

The young Budew didn't hear it coming until the last second. He turned around, only to see a large orange object approaching him rapidly. The poor thing could not hope to escape in time, and before long, Franz felt a massive collision...

...but when he opened his eyes, the collision hadn't hit the intended target.

Laying on the ground, and struggling to its feet, was a very cross Ralts.

The Budew had just been saved.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5: Fate's Forceful Hand

* * *

><p><em>"Stay away from the Budew."<em>

The Ralts's voice was firm and demanding, even though he had just been slammed directly by a Dark-type attack and was not in good shape because of it. Even Bob, who heard no more than a series of shrill "Ralts" syllables, could tell that this Ralts meant business.

_"You TRAINEES are all the same," _menaced the Ralts in his own tongue. "_Bullying innocent Pokemon until they're weak enough for their 'trainers' to contain them in tiny spheres. You should be ashamed of yourself. You were one of us once, too!"_

Franz blinked a few times. _"Wait," _he said defensively, _"I don't want this either, but I have no choice with HIM pulling the strings..."_

_"No choice, eh?"_ snapped the Ralts. _"You may be bound to him physically, but that doesn't make you his slave! You still have free will, the heart of a Pokemon!"_

_"I know that," _replied Franz, _"but I have a duty. This kid wouldn't last 10 minutes on his own. I have to protect him."_

_"Then, why is HE the one in charge?" _the Ralts remarked. _"He may need you, but you don't need him. He's in no position to boss you around."_

Bob scratched his head at the exchange. For all he knew, they could be discussing the big sports game that was on last night. Despite the Budew that had long since escaped, he now wanted this Ralts even more. "Ok, Franz, change of plans," cut in the ever impatient Bob, "we're going after this Ralts. Use Water Gun!"

Franz looked back at Bob, hearing his command. Bob may be a shallow ignoramus, but nobody begins life with the wisdom and experience they need to thrive. Bob had never been given the chance to discover this knowledge for himself. Not until Franz. _"I'm not doing this because he told me to," _he said, turning back to the Ralts, _"I'm doing this because I want to."_

He opened his mouth, and unleashed a cascade of water at the Ralts.

_"If you insist..." _the Ralts concluded, taking a split second to prepare and subsequently fading into translucience, forming several false targets. Double Team came just in time for him to dodge the Water Gun, the attack instead hitting one of the copies.

Bob rubbed his eyes. Wasn't there only one Ralts two seconds ago? "Uh..."

Franz growled. His trainer's lack of comprehension wasn't going to stop him, but it was a painful reminder of just how much the boy needed him. The clones surrounding Franz, he spun around in place and hurled a fury of stars in all directions. Every clone disintegrated, among them the real Ralts, knocked backward a few feet.

The Ralts, winded and reeling from the unexpected Swift, sat up only to find the Buizel rushing into him with an Aqua Jet, sealing his fate.

Bob's eyebrows narrowed. "You know, we're not going to get anywhere if you keep jumping the gun like that!" he complained. "But whatever, the damage has been done..." He reached into his bag for a Pokeball.

_"You monster..." _coughed the Ralts. _"You have no regard for the feelings of others. I hope you know that."_

_"Pokemon aren't the only beings with feelings," _Franz refuted._ "Bob deserves a second chance too."_

Bob, ignoring the indiscernible bickering between the two, tossed the ball at the downed Psychic-type.

_"Maybe you can help bring him to reality."_

The ball opened, swallowing the Ralts.

Once, twice, thrice it shook.

And then it stopped.

* * *

><p>Now in a party of three, Bob marched out of the Hearthome Pokemon Center feeling fresher than ever. His first capture was a resounding success. Not counting the Bidoof or the Budew from earlier, of course. And although he couldn't rightfully take much of the credit himself, his self-esteem peaked higher than it ever had.<p>

He found a nice, secluded bench, and sat himself down. He held out his two occupied Pokeballs, one in each hand. "Alright Franz, time to properly introduce you to Yumos!"

Bob tossed both of the Pokeballs onto the ground in front of him. They each opened and glowed, revealing both the veteran Franz and the newcomer by the name of Yumos.

_"Your pet names are so degrading," _was the first thing that came out of Yumos's mouth as he sat down with his arms crossed. _"Does that even mean anything?"_

_"You're telling me," _replied the Buizel, relaxing in the grass with his arms tucked under his head. _"And I thought 'Franz' was the short end of the stick."_

Yumos couldn't help but let out a chuckle out of pity. _"So... about that battle earlier... where did you learn those moves, if not from this 'Bob'?"_

_"It's a long story," _Franz dismissed with a sigh. _"Let's just say Bob wasn't my first trainer."_

_"It's not like I'm going anywhere," _mouthed Yumos. _"I have always been curious: what do Pokemon such as yourself see in humans? Why do you give up a life of independence and freedom to live with them?"_

_"Well, barring the obvious," _continued Franz, throwing a sideways glance at his Pokeball, _"It gives you a sense of purpose. Without humans, we're essentially wild animals, living solely for the sake of surviving. But then there are humans, who live lives of their own in a more advanced society. Functionally, they don't need us. But there are times when a child such as Bob struggles with the expectations of his world. By willingly assuming a position of leadership, such as among a team of Pokemon, they learn how to be responsible, make their own decisions, and open up to the world around them. It is therefore our duty to, when needed, befriend a young human and help them grow just as they help us do the same. We learn from them as much as they learn from us, and we're all the better for it."_

Bob felt a tingling sensation down his spine and a tear come to his eye, even though he had no idea what the Buizel was going on about. It was something about the way he said it that really got to him...

Yumos glanced over at Bob. He could tell, from looking in his eyes, that there was so much that he needed to learn - so much that he _wanted_ to learn - and he could see the determination from within. There was one thing about what Franz said that still nagged at him. _"And what of the life you leave behind...? We still have families and friends, and there are other things to do besides cater to humans. Surely not all humans travel with Pokemon, and the opposite must be true."_

Franz sat up, hunched over and looking down. He still missed his family. But after knowing what Bob had been through, he was glad that at least he was helping with _something_. _"Well..." _Franz replied, looking back up at Yumos, _"Sometimes, when destiny calls, there's no escaping from it. But when this is all over... I hope I'll be able to see them again."_

Bob checked his wrist, his lack of patience kicking in once more, only to remember he didn't actually have a watch. He glanced up at the sky. The sun was beginning to near the horizon, shading the blue to orange. "Ok, little guys," said Bob, "You'll have plenty of time to shoot the breeze later. For right now, we need to find a place to stay for the night. Maybe pick up some grub as well. Tomorrow, we'll really kick-start our training."

"I see you seem to have gotten your act somewhat together. That was fast."

Bob turned around just in time to catch Nick pushing his glasses back onto his face after wiping the lenses. His Gastly hovered behind him, with a perpetually mischievous smile.

"And you've got a second Pokemon as well. Ralts, eh? Not a bad catch." He walked around the bench and approached Yumos, who took an apprehensive step back.

"Yeah, it was easy!" bragged Bob. "I barely had to pay attention to what was going on!"

Nick chuckled, shaking his head. "You let your Buizel do all the work again, didn't you?"

"Well... he didn't throw the Pokeball!" persisted Bob, as Franz crossed his arms. "And he didn't _not_ listen to me!"

"Look," said Nick, cutting to the chase. "You have all the time in the world to work on that. You have potential, otherwise you wouldn't have come back with this Ralts here. So if you need a place to crash, and a meal or two, I'll cut you a break just this once."

Bob grinned. He heard all he needed to hear. A sleepover was a rare occasion for Bob, whose scarce friend pool prevented him from making arrangements in the past. And an acquaintance/rival was good enough in Bob's book to qualify for a friend. "That sounds great, thanks!" Bob exclaimed. "Ooh, we could stay up late, watching horror films and eating popcorn and never go to sleep because we'd have nightmares if we did!"

Nick grimaced. "Yeah... no. I'll treat you to dinner, and after that it's straight to bed. You have a big day tomorrow, according to your word. You don't want to let your Pokemon down, do you?"

Bob glanced away, at Nick's Gastly, which gave Bob an eerie glare, causing him to quickly look another way. "N... no."

"Great, now follow me." Nick turned around, and as he did so, Gastly stuck his tongue out at Bob and his Pokemon and followed close behind, leaving the team with second thoughts. Bob hated to imagine how he'd wake up the next morning...


End file.
